Lan rides through Saldaea, furious at Nynaeve's trick of raising an army behind his back, but reluctantly allows Bulen to ride at his side when the man invokes the hadori. Perrin dreams of the forge and of Aram's death while Hopper urges him to think like a wolf. Graendal survives Rand's balefire by shielding Aran'gar and Delana in place as sacrifices, then escapes through a gateway. Galad surrenders himself to Asunawa to protect his followers, and Padan Fain wanders the Blight building an army of corrupted Trollocs. At Heeth Tower in Kandor, Commander Malenarin Rai gives his son a sword and prepares to hold against a Trolloc horde, knowing his garrison will fall.
Rand descends from Dragonmount transformed, and as he walks through a ruined apple orchard the withered trees burst into bloom and bear fresh fruit. Almen Bunt recognises the young man he once gave a ride to Caemlyn and watches him leave, feeling a warmth in the air and a pull in the direction Rand has gone.
Perrin encounters refugees fleeing spoiled food and a displaced village that has been swapped with a patch of the Blight, and orders the Wise Ones and Aes Sedai to destroy the corrupted land. Galad wakes in captivity to find that his Lord Captains have killed Asunawa and declared him the undisputed leader of the Children of the Light.
Rand arrives at the White Tower and tells Egwene that in one month he will travel to Shayol Ghul and break the remaining seals on the Dark One's prison. The assembled Aes Sedai find themselves barely able to think in his ta'veren presence, and after he departs Egwene begins marshalling opposition to stop him.
Gawyn investigates a series of murders in the White Tower that Egwene attributes to Mesaana, though Gawyn suspects something else entirely. Graendal is summoned by Moridin, who chastises her for Aran'gar's death but gives her a Dreamspike and the services of Slayer, instructing her to kill Perrin.
Lan gains more followers despite his attempts to travel in secret, as Malkieri warriors put on the hadori and refuse to be turned away. Perrin and Galad learn their armies are near one another and both reluctantly prepare for a confrontation, each agreeing to meet first before any blood is spilled.
Mat hears that a man in Caemlyn has been found with his throat ripped open and drained of blood, and realises the gholam has followed him from Ebou Dar. Teslyn bids Mat farewell with genuine respect, telling him there are women in the White Tower in his debt, before he opens his tent to the smell of blood.
Elayne discusses the imprisoned nobles, the Windfinders' land claim, and her plan to seize the throne of Cairhien with Dyelin and Birgitte. She receives a letter from Mat asking to meet and requesting her bellfounders, and begins to consider how the Band of the Red Hand might serve her ambitions.
Min and Nynaeve wait anxiously in the Stone of Tear while Rand has been missing for three days, and Cadsuane summons them when Alanna vanishes without explanation. They fear the Shadow may use Alanna's bond to track Rand, but Min senses through the bond that after days of anguish, a profound warmth has settled over him.
Egwene meets with the Wise Ones, Nynaeve and Elayne in the World of Dreams to discuss Rand's plan to break the seals. To her surprise, Nynaeve and Elayne defend Rand, arguing it is better to fight on his terms. Egwene lays a trap for Mesaana's agents and drives off Alviarin when she and Talva attack in the dream.
Nynaeve and Naeff investigate a bubble of evil in Tear where an entire neighbourhood has turned to dust, and she discovers she can Heal the madness left by the taint on saidin by pulling it out like thorns. Rand tells her he wants her at Shayol Ghul as one of the three to wield Callandor, and asks her not to lose her passion the way other Aes Sedai have.
Faile tends to camp business and confronts the quartermaster's petty corruption, then meets Perrin atop a hill for a Saldaean anniversary celebration. They share everything they have been holding back, from Perrin's wolf nature and the killings at Malden to Faile's own ordeal among the Shaido, and the distance between them finally dissolves.
Mat sees the Aes Sedai, Juilin, Bayle Domon and Leilwin off to Tar Valon, slipping sprinklewort into Joline's farewell sweetbuns to turn her mouth blue for a week. Elayne meets with Sumeko and Alise to negotiate the Kin's future in Caemlyn, offering them Crown support in exchange for Healing and Traveling services.
Perrin begins his training with Hopper in the Wolf Dream, learning to shift himself across vast distances and respond instantly to attack. Rodel Ituralde fights a desperate defence north of Maradon, using archers and fortifications to hold back waves of Trollocs until Draghkar disguised among catapulted corpses descend on his men. Faile confronts Berelain and gives her an ultimatum: find a way to publicly dispel the rumours about Perrin, or face a challenge that will end with one of them dead.
Mat meets Elayne in the Royal Palace and negotiates a contract for the dragons: the Band will serve under Andor but may leave with a month's notice, taking one in four of the weapons. In exchange, Elayne gets Mat's foxhead medallion for three days to attempt copies, and Thom is offered a pardon for any crimes committed in Andor or Cairhien along with the post of Court Bard.
Nynaeve endures the gruelling test for the shawl, refusing to abandon people in danger even when the rules demand she walk away, channelling balefire to save Lan from Darkhounds in the final trial. Four Sitters vote to pass her despite fierce opposition, and before dawn she Travels to the Black Tower and demands Myrelle pass her Lan's Warder bond.
Morgase overhears that Gaebril was in truth the Forsaken Rahvin, and the revelation transforms her understanding of every shameful thing she did under his Compulsion. Rodel Ituralde's exhausted army is driven back to the walls of Maradon, where Yoeli defies his own lord's orders and leads a charge to save them. Tallanvor agrees to stay with Morgase after she shares what she has learned.
Gawyn encounters a mysterious shadow outside Egwene's door that attacks him before fleeing, and he suspects the murders are not Mesaana's work but something else. Mat asks Birgitte about the Tower of Ghenjei, and she warns him that only one in a thousand who enter ever come out, telling him of a past life where she and Gaidal Cain died lost inside its corridors.
Elayne interrogates the captive Black Ajah while disguised as a Forsaken, but the ruse collapses when Eldrith sees through her and Doilin Mellar stabs her. She survives only because Mellar forces Chesmal to Heal her, and Mat and Birgitte arrive in time to prevent worse. Gawyn leaves Tar Valon for Caemlyn after Egwene rebukes him, and Lan's following grows as more Malkieri join his march.
Elayne is confined to bed after Mellar's attack, while Rodel and Yoeli ride into Maradon to confront Lord Torkumen, whom Rodel denounces as a Darkfriend. Perrin continues training in the Wolf Dream and encounters Slayer near Dragonmount, but is outmatched and forced to flee back to the waking world.